8 posts from October 2007

October 24, 2007

I've checked the calendar more than once... it's October. On average October is our driest month, but now it's been not only the wettest month this year, but the wettest October in Louisville's history.

Check out some of these impressive rain totals from the past few days. Louisville (NWS): 7.23" Louisville (SDF): 6.96". Click here from a list of 72 rainfall reports from the area, compiled by the National Weather Service.

Take a look at this image from NASA. It shows the plumes of smoke being blow to the west from the raging fires in Southern California. The good news is that the Santa Ana winds have subsided somewhat. Winds Monday were gusting to 80mph... higher humidity levels will arrive by Friday.

October 22, 2007

It's nice to see the radar light up without warnings. Plenty of rain has been falling for the past several hours across Kentuckiana. We're in for more rain tonight & tomorrow... with smaller rain chances later in the week.

Here's a look at some of the rain totals from today. Within a 12 hour timeframe we picked up over two and a quarter inches of rain in Louisville. Lower totals were measured in Eastern Kentucky and Southern Indiana.

This is the most rain we've seen in sometime. When you compare monthly totals October, typically our driest month, we've seen more rain than the past two months combined. And more rain is on the way over the next 24 to 48 hours. We'll take it... we need it!

Ah... back from vacation today.Though I suppose I was back from vacation last week with the storms. What an event that was. I appreciate all the email... some thanking us for our work, others with questions and there will always be those that fear missing their shows is more life-threatening than tornadoes themselves. We'll always choose to wipe out programming when we feel someone's life is in danger. Six hours of non-stop, commerical-free weather coverage, was a first for me. I'm curious to hear your comments... post them to the blog.

Seven tornadoes touch down in the viewing area. Over the weekend the National Weather Service conducted the damage surveys to determine the strength of the 7 tornadoes that touched down last Thursday. Just to put that outbreak into perspective... we usually average only 11 in KY during the course of the entire year.

The strongest was an EF-3 with max winds of 138mph in Clark Co., IN, followed in intensity by an EF-2 in Breckinridge Co., KY with max winds of 135 mph. There were three EF-1 tornadoes (Northern BullittCo., KY, Hancock Co., KY - Perry Co., IN & Meade Co., KY) with winds between 86 & 110 mph. And the final two EF-0 tornadoes were in Jefferson Co., KY & Marion Co., KY with winds between 65 & 85 mph. Click here for the offical damage surveys from the National Weather Service.

More rain, but no severe storms... There is more rain in the forecast for later today... but no severe weather will occur. We still need the rain! After a very pleasant weekend - sunny & warm - much cooler weather is on tap after today for the remainder of the week.

I've been to many haunted houses over the years, but this one was different. Growing up in this area the stories of Waverly Hills are familiar. The Tuberculosis Sanatorium is off Dixie Highway in southwest Jefferson County. It was built in 1911 and greatly expanded in 1926, to house an ever-growing number of tuberculosis sufferers. Until the 1950's tuberculosis was incurable, but great institutions and a great amount of effort went into managing the course of the disease. Waverly Hills housed over 400 patients, from infants to adults. With the development of the antibiotic streptomycin, sufferers could be treated as outpatients so that there was no longer a need for large hospitals. Waverly Hills closed in 1961... but before then thousands died. It's jaded past continued with as a geriatrics hospital until the state closed it down for patient abuse in the 1980s. It's said that the house is truly haunted!

A group of us went to check it out... now during this time of year the owners have the house turned into a "haunted house" filled with actors & sounds, etc. That was good, but the most interesting part was the fact that the money being raised from admission ($20) is going to the renovation of Waverly Hills. The owners hope that the renovation and reconstruction of the main building will one day yield office space and perhaps bed & breakfast type rooms. The renovation is well under way and impressive... but there is much more to do.

Perhaps the scariest part of our tour was when owner Charlie Mattingly took us in the back way... across what has been termed the tunnel of death. It's actually a tunnel that boiler pipes ran through from the boiler room at the bottom of the hill up to the main building, it's also said to be where bodies were taken away from the sanatorium if unclaimed to then go to UofL as a cadaver. Our next stop was on the third floor where patients would sit or lie in bed in the Solarium, an open air area The only "cure" for TB in those days was rest, nutrition & fresh air. Yes even in the winter. To the left is a picture of what it looked like in 1926. It was creepy to be there in the dark.

There are many stories that go along with Waverly Hills... the vandalism has been extensive, but the renovation is underway. It's worth the trip to see... and their web page is worth a visit. Do you think it's a piece of Louisville's history that should be preserved? You can get more information by clicking the links below... and by watching the Halloween special, Ghost Hunters, on the SciFi channel which will broadcast live from the Waverly Hills Sanatorium on October 31st, 2007.

October 11, 2007

I had the chance to spend part of the evening at the Louisville Zoo for the World's Largest Halloween Party. It was a fun time... lots of cute kids wearing some creative costumes. They walked away not only seeing a few of the animals and some of their favorite storybook characters, but with plenty of candy too!

It will be cool again at the bus stop on your Friday. Look for morning lows to be near 40 with afternoon highs back in the mid 60s. It will be warmer for the weekend and much of next week. There is a chance for showers & storms by mid next week.

It was chilly this morning... and the next couple morning promise to be just as cool. Nighly lows will fall into the upper 30s to low 40s in many areas.

Here are the National extremes for Thursday... You can see that the highest temperature was recorded in Wink, TX & the lowest in Alturas, CA.

October 10, 2007

The national high and low for Wednesday weren't all that far apart in geography, but the difference was great. 97 degrees that hot spot in Roosevelt, AZ compared to the cold spot at 20 degrees in Bridgeport, CA.

You can see that it's been awhile since we've seen temperatures in the low to mid 40s... months as a matter of fact. It will be even cooler in the outlying coutines away from the city.

What a week it's been... from a high in the lower 90s on Monday to a temperature in the low 60s Wednesday afternoon. It will be even cooler Thursday afternoon & Friday morning.

October 03, 2007

Twice in one week a front moved close-by and the associated rain to our west faded before it reached us. There are only small rain chances in the forecast over the next several days. Look for the much above normal temperatures to continue into the weekend.

Ken, from Louisville, wrote me asking what the bright oject in the eastern sky was early this morning. I'm not an astronomer, but my best guess is that he was seeing Mars.

It was on this date in 1980 that we saw snowflakes... this marks the earliest date that we've seen snow in Louisville. The low temperature fell to 32 degrees on this date in 1974... likewise, the earliest freezing temperature for the Derby City.

So... when are the average first frost & freeze. You will see that on average the first frost would typically be just around the corner... we all know that this year has been anything but typical!

October 02, 2007

JUST IN... During the 11 o'clock news I was able to get some video from our affiliate station, KSDK, out of St. Louis. The told me tornado damage was reported in Shelby, Marion & Monroe Counties. Additional damages was reported in Iowa. As a matter of fact at least 7 vehicles had windows blown out at the Des Moines Airport. There were 12 tornado reports from The Storm Prediction Center.

That same system will move our way, but fizzle out overnight. We will do good to see a few sprinkles out of it. The hot dry weather will continue. Take a look at the rain totals and departures from normal over the past few months.

The hot dry weather is affecting the turning of the leaves. Experts say it will dull the color & delay the onset. We'll see what happens. I checked around on leaf cams and really there was no vivid color to report. Minnesota had the most noticeable change.

Speaking of hot. We'll be flirting with near record temperatures right into the weekend. Highs will not be far from the low 90s and may reach them - potentially tying or breaking previous records!

The forecast calls for the much above normal temperatures to continue. There is only a small chance for showers & storms on Sunday & Monday. We could use the rain, but the chance is not all that big.

Superstition holds that the size of the bands on woolly bear caterpillars predicts the severity of the upcoming winter. The truth is that the size of the bands on these furry, black and rust-colored caterpillars is simply a sign of their age. Thicker bands mean the caterpillar is older. Be on the lookout for these cute little guys as they scurry across roads this fall seeking places to hibernate. Next spring they’ll pupate and emerge as Isabella tiger moths. source: NWF Wildlife & Weather